Apple iPhone 18 Pro vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro: which should you buy?
Apple iPhone 18 Pro£1,199RRP · 256GB, RRP recorded 12 Oct 2026
Apple iPhone 17 Pro£1,099RRP · 256GB storage, RRP recorded 12 Oct 2026
The short answer
Keep your iPhone 17 Pro if you already have one: the 18 Pro is a careful step forward, not a big leap. Buy the iPhone 18 Pro new if you want the newest camera, faster charging and the extra speed.
The differences that matter
Apple iPhone 18 ProApple iPhone 17 Pro
Chip and speedA20 Pro, 7-core GPU; Geekbench 6 multi-core 11,523 (Tech Advisor)A19 Pro, 6-core GPU; Geekbench 6 multi-core 8,663 (Tech Advisor)
Main camera48MP with variable aperture from f/1.48 to f/4.0, for more control over focus48MP, fixed aperture
Telephoto48MP 4x (100mm), 8x optical-quality; Expert Reviews says the hardware is unchanged48MP 4x (100mm), 8x optical-quality
Video playback (Apple claim)Up to 34 hoursUp to 31 hours
Wired charging in 30 minutes (Tech Advisor)77%71%
Wireless chargingMagSafe and Qi2, up to 25WMagSafe and Qi2, up to 25W
Weight211g204g
Screen6.3-inch OLED, 120Hz, up to 3,000 nits outdoors, with a smaller Dynamic Island6.3-inch OLED, 120Hz, up to 3,000 nits outdoors
UK price (256GB)£1,199 RRP£1,099 RRP at launch; Apple no longer sells it, but resellers may
Which one fits you?
Choose the Apple iPhone 18 Pro
You are buying new and want the newest camera, the faster chip and quicker charging.
Choose the Apple iPhone 17 Pro
You can find a discounted iPhone 17 Pro from a reseller, or you want to save money.
Keep what you have
You already own an iPhone 17 Pro: the upgrade is modest, so keep it.
Apple iPhone 18 ProA fast, polished Pro iPhone with a flexible main camera, best suited to people who take lots of group, portrait and zoomed photos.
£1,199RRP · 256GB, RRP recorded 12 Oct 2026
Check price on Amazon UKRead the full reviewApple iPhone 17 ProThe more manageable Pro iPhone if you want main, ultrawide and telephoto cameras and would find the Pro Max too big.
£1,099RRP · 256GB storage, RRP recorded 12 Oct 2026
Check price on Amazon UKRead the full reviewPrice buttons are affiliate links: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices are the ones recorded in each review; check the current price before buying.
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